Test Description with Sample Questions Booklet New in 2008 HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WORK
2008 HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WORK ASSESSMENT
Test Description with Sample Questions
Booklet
(For Students)
New in 2008
Prepared by
Educational Testing Service
Princeton, New Jersey
NOTE ON THIS BOOKLET
The purpose of this Booklet is to provide essential information on the High Schools That Work
(HSTW) Assessment for students who will be taking that assessment . There is a longer version of
the Booklet, the Information for Sites Bulletin , intended for all stakeholders —students and their
families, teachers, administrators, state officials and any others who use the assessment data.
GENERAL BACKGROUND: THE HSTW ASSESSMENT AND ITS PURPOSE
High Schools That Work (HSTW) is a high school reform initiative designed and implemented by
the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). Using a research-based framework of key
practices, the initiative seeks to create a culture of high expectations at participating schools in order
to raise the achievement of all students and help ensure that they leave high school ready for the
workplace and for postsecondary education. HSTW began in 1987 in a handful of schools in several
SREB member states. Today, the program is active in more than 1,100 schools in 32 states and is
the nation’s largest whole -school reform initiative.
HSTW is a data-driven reform initiative and the source of most of its data is the HSTW Assessment.
This assessment consists of a student survey and subject tests in reading, mathematics and science.
The student survey provides information on the courses taken by students as well as their
perceptions of school and classroom experiences. By correlating responses given to questions on the
student survey with performance on the three subject tests, participating schools, school distr icts,
states and SREB are able to track continuous student progress in terms of the key school and
classroom practices.
In the past, individual student performance on the three HSTW subject tests was not reported. Each
participating school received a deta iled site report showing changes in group performance in relation
to the key practices and procedures. In 2008, for the first time, individual student reports will be
issued in addition to the site reports showing group data. The HSTW Assessment will now also seek
to gauge individual students’ readiness for college and for the workplace.
THE 2008 HSTW ASSESSMENT
The three subject tests in the assessment that will be administered in 2008 are new. They are not the
same tests that were administered in years prior to 2008. SREB understands that in today’s
educational environment, schools and their students are inundated with a multitude of mandatory
high-stakes tests. These tests are important; students’ achievement scores carry consequences for
schools and in many cases, passing the test is required for student grade promotion and graduation.
Many schools may face difficulty giving the HSTW Assessment in the midst of these other tests. As
a result, SREB, in conjunction with Educational Testing Service (ETS), undertook a process of test
development to refresh the HSTW Assessment to add more value for schools and participating
students. The new HSTW Assessment is different from the other tests seniors typically take. It is not
a high school exit test or an admis sions test for higher education. It is not a licensure test or a
certification test for a particular job or profession. Rather, as stated above, it seeks to measure a
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student’s overall readiness for college and for the workplace while also serving as a measure of
continuous school improvement in terms of group performance from one year to the next.
WHO TAKES THE HSTW ASSESSMENT AND WHEN IS IT GIVEN?
The HSTW Assessment is administered to seniors at participating schools. It is given at the
beginning of the last semester of high school so that it can reflect almost the entire high school
career of the cohort while still allowing for the results to be available in time for schools and
students to make use of them. In 2008, the window for administering the assessment is January 7
through February 1.
Most HSTW schools administer the assessment every other year, in even years (2004, 2006, 2008,
etc.). However, some schools administer the assessment in odd years as well.
Some HSTW schools administer the assess ment to all of their seniors. However, most schools
administer the assessment to a random sample of about 60 seniors. Experts in survey sampling
methods have determined that a sample of 60 students, if the sampling is truly random, can yield
group results that are representative of how the total group of seniors would have performed. All
participating schools are provided with instructions for sampling their seniors to ensure that the
sampling is truly random.
Since most schools do not administer the assessment every year and not all students are selected to
participate, it is important to note that only a subset of the total group of seniors at HSTW schools
will have the opportunity to participate in the assessment and receive individual student reports
showing their level of performance in terms of their readiness for college and the workplace. It is
important to recognize that many students who are seniors during an odd year or who are not
included in the testing sample during the sampling process would have performed at or above levels
qualifying them for the HSTW Award of Student Achievement if they had taken the assessment (for
information on the Award, see the Appendix to this Booklet).
WHERE THE ASSESSMENT WILL BE GIVEN
The HSTW Assessment is administered at the participating schools. The schools are responsible for
communicating with participating students to ensure that they are briefed about where and when to
report for testing and are properly oriented with regard to the nature and purpose of the assessment.
HOW LONG IS THE HSTW ASSESSMENT?
Timing of each element of the assessment:
Student Survey (untimed: times are approximate)
Section 1: about 30 to 45 minutes. NOTE: some schools fill this section out for students
Section 2: about 60 minutes
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Reading test: 90 minutes
Mathematics test: 70 minutes
Science test: 70 minutes
The total testing time comes to about 5 and ½ hours. When administration activities —greeting
students, seating them, reading general instructions, handing out and collecting test materials and
answer documents, giving students breaks between parts of the assessment and so on are factored in,
the actual testing session is six hours or a little longer. This is a long testing session and schools are
strongly encouraged to test their students in multiple sessions over a two or three-day period.
INQUIRIES ABOUT THE TESTS
If state, district, or school personnel have any questions about the nature, purpose, or interpretation
of the HSTW Assessment or about issues of testing policy and procedure, they should contact SREB.
Please address inquiries to:
Allison Timberlake, Coordinator of Assessment
Southern Regional Education Board
592 10th Street, N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30318
404-875-9211
Any student who takes the HSTW Assessment has the right to ask questions and air concerns about
the tests and about how they are scored and to have such questions or concerns addressed in a timely
fashion. Students can register concerns about test questions or test content in general by talking with
the teacher or counselor administering the assessment. Test administrators can use the ETS
Irregularity Report form to document questions and concerns regarding test questions or content.
Such concerns will be addressed by a test specialist at ETS and an answer will be sent, through
SREB, to the test administrator.
If students or their families have questions or concerns regarding their individual score reports or
how the tests were scored, they should contact SREB (see above).
ETS retains individual student score report data for six months following the assessment. Individual
reports will be sent to schools for distribution to students. If a student finds he or she needs a
duplicate report (e.g., due to loss of or damage to the original report), the student can order the
duplicate by sending a letter of request that includes the address to which the duplicate is to be sent
together with a check or money order in the amount of $10 to:
Lisa Rion
Educational Testing Service
Rosedale Road, MS 21D
Princeton, NJ 08541
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS
All students who are routinely included in state -mandated assessments and can function in a testing
environment must be included in the pool of students from which a school’s random sample of
HSTW test-takers is drawn. In compliance with 1997 IDEA regulations, this means that students
with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) must be included in the sampling. All schools must abide by
federal, state and local regulations regarding testing students with disabilities. If a students’ IEP
calls for an amanuensis to assist with testing, it is a school’s responsibility to provide this service.
ETS will provide Braille, Cassette and Large Print editions of the Student Survey and all three
subject tests upon request.
Students who are English language learners ( ELL) must also be included in sampling. English
language learners may use a dual -language dictionary when answering the Student Survey and when
taking the mathematics and science tests. Students who need this accommodation must provide their
own dual-language dictionaries. Please be aware that dual-language dictionaries are NOT permitted
for the Reading test because that test is measuring reading proficiency in English.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF SCORES
Student test results are used to produce reports for schools that chart the progress HSTW network
schools are making in their efforts to improve teaching and learning. No individual student scores
are given in these reports; no students are named in the reports. In addition, pains are taken to
suppress data in the site reports when the number of students factoring into a particular calculation
is small enough to make it possible to identify individuals.
Individual student score reports, issued for the first time in 2008, will be sent by ETS to the
students’ schools for distribution to the students and will be released only to the HSTW testing
coordinator for distribution to the individual students. SREB abides by all federal and state laws
protecting the confidentiality of student data.
REVIEW OF NONSTANDARD SCORES
SREB reserves the right to cancel any test score if the test taker engages in misconduct or if there is
a testing irregularity. Because there is an obligation to report scores that accurately reflect the
performance of each test taker, test administration and test security standards have been designed
to assure that all test takers are given the same opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and to
prevent some test takers from gaining an unfair advantage over others because of testing
misconduct. All testing irregularities as well as test scores believed to be earned under unusual or
nonstandard circumstances are routinely reviewed.
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INDIVIDUAL SCORE REPORTS
The individual student reports will show whether a student is at the basic, proficient or advanced
performance level for each of the three subject tests. These performance levels are defined in terms
of the degree of readiness for college or career. Students who score below the basic level on any
given subject test are still developing the knowledge and skills required to meet the standard
defined by the basic level for that test. Individual reports do not show numerical scores on the three
tests. Please consult the Information for Sites Bulletin to find out how the performance levels are
determined.
In addition to performance levels, the individual reports will also show whether a student has met
the HSTW recommended curriculum, whether the student has completed one or more HSTW
concentrations and whether the student qualifies for the Award of Educational Achievement.
Students who qualify for the Award of Educational Achievement will receive a certificate in
addition to their individual reports. These certificates will be mailed to schools at the same time as
the individual reports are mailed. The Appendix to this Booklet describes the HSTW recommended
curriculum, performance goals, the criteria for completing a concentration and the requirements
one must fulfill in order to qualify for the Award of Educational Achievement.
Students interested in how the tests are scored, in comparability of test scores across different
editions of each test, in the degree of precision of test scores and in the scoring scale used to report
group data in the school-level reports should consult the Information for Sites Bulletin .
WHEN WILL SCORE REPORTS BE AVAILABLE?
Typically, score reports will be mailed to schools and distributed to students in May, before
summer vacation. In 2008, score reports will be mailed to schools in June. This delay is a one-time
event caused by the need to set the performance level standards for the new subject tests. In order
to set these standards, data from the 2008 administration will be needed. Therefore, the standards
need to be set after the adm inistration and before score reporting.
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TEST DESCRIPTION WITH SAMPLE QUESTIONS
This section is addressed most particularly to students but will be of interest to anyone who wants to
know more about the content specifications for the new HSTW Assessment and wishes to see the
types of questions that will be asked in the three subject tests.
Model Message for Students from their schools
As you probably know, our school is a member of a network of schools that is taking
important steps to improv e our services to students. Among the many steps that we have taken are
improved student counseling, the availability of extra help for students who need it, the enrichment
of classroom activities and our commitment to encouraging students to take more challenging
courses to prepare them further education and successful employment after graduation.
One of the ways to prove to you, your parents or guardians and to ourselves that these steps
are paying off is to determine whether you and other students in your class can reach higher levels of
performance than previous classes. We also want to know your views about how our classroom
activities and assignments have helped you to learn and how your plans after high school connect
with your experiences in high school. Ne xt year, we will send you a brief survey to obtain your
suggestions about how you believe we might improve our approach and services to students who
come after you.
As a senior, your feedback and full effort on the assessment and the student survey is very
important to us. The assessment has the following parts:
Student Survey: The student survey consists of two sections. Section 1 will take about 30 to
45 minutes to complete and Section 2 will take about 60 minutes to
complete. The survey is composed of questions that ask about your plans
after graduation, what courses you have taken and your views about the
expectations of your teachers and the availability of services, including
extra help and career planning
Reading:
The reading test consists of three separately timed sections. To
accommodate the length of the reading passages, the test is 90 minutes
long, containing two 25-minute sections and one 40 -minute section. It is
composed of multiple-choice and open-ended questions.
Mathematics:
The mathematics test consists of three separately timed sections. The
assessment is 70 minutes long, containing one 28 -minute section, one 27minute section and one 15 -minute section. Calculator use is permitted for
two of the sections. The test is composed of multiple-choice and openended questions
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Science:
The science test consists of three separately timed sections. The test is 70
minutes long, containing one 28 -minute section, one 27-minute section
and one 15-minute section. It is composed of multiple -choice and openended questions.
In each of the three subjects, you will need to write your answer to the open-ended questions.
Each open-ended question can contribute more toward the report of your overall performance on the
assessment than each multiple -choice question does. Responses for the open-ended questions are
graded on a 0 to 4 scale:
Responses that earn a score of 4 demonstrate complete understanding. These responses
correctly address all aspects of the question and fully support or justify a conclusion or result
of an analysis.
Responses that earn a score of 3 demonstrate substantial understanding. These responses
correctly address most aspects of the question, but may contain one or two minor errors or
minor omissions.
Responses that earn a score of 2 demonstrate developing understanding. These responses
correctly address some aspects of the question, but will also likely include a major error or
omit an important component of the response.
Responses that earn a score of 1 demonstrate minimal understanding. These responses
indicate some rudimentary comprehension of a part of the question, but provide little or no
evidence of being able to integrate information and present it in a clear and coherent manner.
Responses that provide no understanding or comprehension of the question earn a score of 0.
Sample questions that are similar to some of those that appear on the assessment can be
found on the following pages. Although the results of this assessment will have no effect on your
grades, you will receive a report following the administration of the assessment that indicates your
level of readiness (basic, proficient, or advanced) for future study or entry into the workplace.
Descriptions of the basic, proficient and advanced levels of readiness for eac h subject can be found
in the Appendix to this Booklet.
You should put forth your best effort when completing the assessment, so that we can learn
from your views and learn more about what you have achieved in high school.
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2008 ASSESSMENT CONTENT
(Target Percentage by Category As Specified in Assessment Frameworks)
MATHEMATICS
Mathematical Complexity
Content Areas
Number Properties and Operations
10%
Low Complexity
25%
Measurement/Geometry
30%
Moderate Complexity
50%
High Complexity
25%
Data Analysis, Statistics and
Probability
25%
Algebra
35%
READING
Cognitive Targets
Text Types
Informational
80%
Locate/Recall
20%
Literary Nonfiction
20%
Integrate/Interpret
45%
Critique/Evaluate
35%
SCIENCE
Science Practices
Content Areas
Life Sciences
40-42.5%
Identifying Science Principles
20%
Physical Sciences
40-42.5%
Using Science Principles
40%
Using Scientific Inquiry
30%
Using Technological Design
10%
Earth and Space Sciences
15-20%
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THE READING TEST
The reading test will assess students’ understanding of two text types: informational and
literary nonfiction.
Text Types
Informational texts. The diverse number and types of informational texts explain, in part,
why a large percentage of this text type will be found in the assessment. Students read
informational text for many purposes . For example, they read textbooks, newspaper articles and
essays to obtain general or specific information. Editorials, speeches and advertisements are
examples of informational texts that are meant to persuade or inform students of a specific point
of view. Trade manuals, product support materials and instructions for filling out forms are
examples of informational text that explain procedures and provide directions for how to follow
them. Each of the informational text types mentioned here can be presented in different formats
or combinations of formats. For example, a newspaper article might be presented as continuous
prose and also include charts, tables, maps or other graphical representations that require readers
to synthesize meaning across the texts.
Literary Nonfiction texts. These types of texts not only present information and ideas but
may also employ distinctly literary elements and devices to communicate their message and to
make their content more accessible to readers. Biographies and autobiographies, for example,
usually follow a structure that in many ways mirrors the story structure of fictional works and
they may employ literary devices, but they also present information. Literary essays and speeches
may be structured differently but also draw on literary devices.
Cognitive Targets
Questions in the reading test also measure the kinds of thinking that underlie reading
comprehension. These include:
Locate/Recall. Responses to these questions provide information about the most basic
comprehension skills, those that ultimately form the foundation for a more elaborated
understanding of what is read.
Integrate/Interpret. Responses to these questions move beyond the discrete information,
ideas, details and themes presented in text and extend initial impressions by processing
information logically and completely.
Critique/Evaluate. Responses to these questions consider the text critically by assessing it
from numerous perspectives and synthesizing what is read with other texts and other
experiences.
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READING SAMPLE QUESTIONS
SAMPLE PASSAGE #1
(Informational)
Read the following Introduction to the American Community Survey (ACS) and the
accompanying Fact Sheet, which presents ACS data.
Using Data from the 2005 American Community Survey
INTRODUCTION
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The United States is changing, and so is the census. In 1790, the year of the first census,
3.9 million individuals were counted. Over 200 years later, the number is approaching 300
million. As the nation expands, so do its needs — specifically, the need for more current and up to-date information. The Census Bureau is using a powerful new tool to adjust to this increased
need: the American Community Survey.
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a part of the Decennial Census Program. The
decennial census takes place every ten years, the next being conducted in 2010. The 2010
Census will continue to count the population to support the cons titutional mandate to provide
population counts needed to apportion the seats in the United States House of Representatives.
States develop redistricting plans based on this important information. The ACS will provide
annually updated data on the character istics of population and housing.
When discussing the type of information produced by the ACS, two things should be considered:
the specific topics covered in the ACS and the type of statistics that are produced for these
topics.
Topics Covered
The topics covered by the ACS focus on demographic, social, economic, and housing
characteristics.
Statistics Produced
The statistics produced from the ACS are meaningful because they describe the characteristics of
population and housing in the United States and Puerto Rico. The Census Bureau uses the data
collected by the ACS to create estimates and variances —which are termed “statistics” —for these
characteristics. The ACS releases statistics in several forms: totals, proportions, percentages,
means, medians, averages, and ratios.
Totals
Estimated totals include estimates of the total population and its subsets. Examples include the
total male population, the total population aged three years and older enrolled in school, the total
foreign-born population, the total population below the poverty level, and much more. Figure 1
shows an example of the total population three years and older enrolled in school —597,507 for
Dallas County, Texas, based on the 2005 ACS estimate.
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Similarly, estimates are produced of total households and subsets such as total family
households and total family households with children under 18 years of age.
Estimates are made of total housing units along with estimates of occupied housing
units, owner-occupied, and renter-occupied housing units.
Although totals may have meaning alone, the major reason they exist in the ACS is to
define a universe that will be described in detail. For example, the U.S. population is
not the important information coming from ACS data; it is information on the percent
of the United States population that is age sixty -five or older, foreign-born, or sixteen
years and older and in the labor force and employed. This also applies to housing data,
for which the ACS releases an estimate of total housing units, but the important ACS
information is the characteristics of these housing units: the percent of vacant housing
units, mobile homes, or homes built in 1939 or earlier.
This is not to say that totals are not meaningful on their own. Local governments use
population totals for forecasting needs for services such as police and fire protection.
Local communities do need to know the total population so they can plan and prepare
for responding to natural disasters or other emergencies.
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1.
According to the Introduc tion, why is a census necessary?
A To determine how many seats each state will get in the House of Representatives
B To make sure there are sufficient natural resources available for the entire population
C To determine when the House of Representatives needs to make changes in national policy
D To help individuals make decisions about the best places to live and work
2.
Which reason best explains why Figure 1 is included in the Introduction?
A To provide population information for educators in Texas
B To inform Texas educators of school enrollment data in Dallas County
C To emphasize the importance of subcategories of information over totals in the American
Community Survey
D To give an example of the type of information provided by the American Community Survey
3.
When the article says local governments use population totals for “forecasting” needs for services
(line 48), this means that the governments
A focus exclusively on population totals
B use survey results to support political ends
C predict what they will require to manage future events
D encourage visitors to move permanently to their cities
4.
According to the Introduction, what is the most important information provided by the American
Community Survey population data?
A The total number of people in the nation
B The percentage of people who are registered to vote
C The number of people in each congressional district
D The percentage of people that fits into certain categories
5.
Which of the following can be learned from the Data Profile Highlights table?
A The number of people who graduated from high school in 2005
B The percentage of teenagers who are married
C The difference between the number of people who live in Alaska and the number who live in
Hawaii
D The difference between th e total number of housing units in the nation and the number that are
occupied
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6.
Which statement best describes the overall organization of the Data Profile Highlights table?
A It divides the population into different groups based on broad categories.
B It uses samples of households to represent national population trends.
C It presents data in the order of importance to the government.
D It ranks the data according to margin of error.
_____________________________________
Answers to questions in Sample Passage #1
1. A
2. D
3. C
4. D
5. D
6. A
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SAMPLE PASSAGE #2
(LITERARY NONFICTION)
Here Is New York
by E. B. White
The following passage was written in 1948 by E. B. White, an essayist who worked for The New
Yorker weekly magazine from 1929 until the end of his career five decades later.
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There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman
who was born here, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as
natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter the city that is
devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is the New York of the person
who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these three
trembling cities the greatest is the last the city of final destination, the city that is a goal. It is
this third city that accounts for New York’s high -strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its
dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal
restlessness; natives give it solidity and continuity; but the settlers give it passion. And whether
it is a farmer arriving from Italy to set up a small grocery store in a slum , or a young girl arriving
from a small town in Mississippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors, or a
boy arriving from the Corn Belt with a manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart, it makes
no difference: each embraces New York with the intense excitement of first love, each absorbs
New York with the fresh eyes of adventure, each generates heat and light to dwarf the
Consolidated Edison Company. 1
The commuter is the queerest bird of all. The suburb he inhabits has no essential vitality
of its own and is a mere roost where he comes at day’s end to go to sleep. Except in rare cases,
the man who lives in Mamaroneck or Little Neck or Teaneck, and works in New York, discovers
nothing much about the city except the time of arrival and departure of trains and buses, and the
path to a quick lunch. He is desk -bound, and has never, idly roaming in the gloaming, stumbled
suddenly on Belvedere Tower in Central Park, seen the ramparts rise sheer from the water of the
pond, and the boys along the shore fishing for minnows, girls stretched out negligently on the
shelves of the rocks; he has never come suddenly on anything at all in New York as a loiterer,
because he has had no time between trains. He has fished in Manhattan’s wallet and dug out
coins, but has never listened to Manhattan’s breathing, never awakened to its morning, never
dropped off to sleep in its night. About 400,000 men and women come charging into the Island
each weekday morning, out of the mouths of tubes and tunnels. Not many among them have ever
spent a drowsy afternoon in the great rustling oaken silence of the reading room of the Public
Library, with the book elevator (like an old water wheel) spewing out books onto the trays. They
tend their furnaces in Westchester and Jersey, but have never seen the furnaces of the Bowery,
the fires that burn in oil drums on zero degree winter nights. They may work in the financial
district downtown and never see the extravagant plantings of Rockefeller Center the daffodils
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and grape hyacinths and birches and the flags trimmed to the wind on a fine morning in spring.
Or they may work in a midtown office and may let a whole year swing round without sighting
Governors Island from the sea wall. The commuter dies with tremendous mileage to his credit,
but he is no rover. His entrances and exits are more devious than those in a prairie-dog village;
and he calmly plays bridge while buried in the mud at the bottom of the East River. The Long
Island Rail Road alone carried forty million commuters last year; but many of them were the
same fellow retracing his steps.
The terrain of New York is such that a resident sometimes travels farther, in the end,
than a commuter. Irving Berlin’s 1 journey from Cherry Street in the Lower East Side to an
apartment uptown was through an alley and was only three or four miles in length; but it was like
going three times around the world.
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SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR PASSAGE #2
1.
What is E.B. White’s main purpose in writing this passage?
A To describe different groups of people in New York.
B To encourage people to move to New York.
C To promote famous New York landmarks.
D To depict working conditions in New York.
2.
E.B. White praises the New York of the “settlers” because these people
A contribute to the financial growth of the city
B have free time to go to libraries and museums
C bring emotion and intensity to the city
D cause less trouble than commuters
3.
When E.B. White says that the suburbs have no “vitality” (line 16), he means that
A few people live there
B they are not very lively
C the night life ends there earlier
D they have a much lower noise level
4.
E.B. White refers to the Public Library, the Bowery, and Rockefeller Center primarily in order to
A distinguish between good and bad aspects of the city
B emphasize the energy found in the city
C point out places in the city that he thinks are beautiful
D provide examples of things commuters fail to notice in the city
5.
E.B. White uses several types of figurative language, such as metaphor, throughout his essay.
Choose an example of figurative language White uses and describe its meaning in the context of
the essay. Then explain how it relates to White’s opinion about the three New Yorks.
Please write your answer in the appropriate space on your answer sheet.
_______________________________________________
Answers to multiple choice questions in Sample Passage #2
1. A 2. C 3. B 4. D
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Sample Response and Scoring Guide
Choose a specific example of figurative language that E.B. White uses in his essay.
Explain its meaning in the context of the essay, and explain how it relates to White’s opinion
about the three New Yorks.
Scoring Guide
4 = Complete Understanding
Responses at this level choose an example of f igurative language, explain its meaning in context,
and explain why it is important in helping White make his argument.
White says at the end of the first paragraph that settlers “generate heat and light to
dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company.” This statement is basically an exaggeration
that means that settlers bring a lot of passion to New York. This is important in helping
White make his argument because it helps to show how important he thinks settlers are to
the city.
White says “The commuter is th e strangest bird of all. The suburb he inhabits has no
essential vitality of its own and is a mere roost where he comes at day’s end to go to
sleep.” This is a metaphor meaning that the commuter’s home doesn’t mean anything to
him. The author makes the point that commuters don’t care about the city, and this
metaphor shows that they don’t even care about their homes either.
White says that the commuter “has fished in the city’s wallet and dug out coins, but has
never listened to its breathing.” He’s saying commuters only care about the city for the
income it brings them, that they don’t know about the more important things there. This
is a good metaphor to help him make his point because it gives you the picture of the
commuter as some kind of thief or cheap person who takes only what he needs from the
city.
3 = Substantial Understanding
3(a)
OR
Responses at this level choose an example and explain its meaning in context; however,
such responses provide only a general explanation of how it relates to White’s opinion
about the three New Yorks.
White says that settlers “generate heat and light to dwarf the Consolidate Edison
Company.” This is hyperbole. White is just trying to say that the settlers bring a spark to
New York. It helps him make his point because it really lets the reader visualize what he’s
talking about.
The author starts the essay by saying there are three New Yorks. This is just a figurative
way of saying that there are three major groups of people in New York, and they all view
the city in a different way. This figurative language helps White make his argument
because it gives you a concrete way to understand his argument.
19
3(b) Responses choose an example and provide an explanation of how it relates to White’s
opinion about the three New Yorks, but do not explain the meaning of the example in
context.
White says at the end of the first paragraph that settlers “generate heat and light to
dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company.” This is important in helping White make his
argument because it helps to show how important settlers are to the city.
In the second sentence, the author says that the “second New York” is the New York of
the commuter, which is “devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night.” This
shows just how little the city means to the commuter.
2 = Developing Understanding
2(a) Responses at this level choose an example of figurative language and explain what it means
in context.
White says that New York is “devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night.”
This means the commuters are just like a bunch of bugs who eat the city and spit it out
again once they leave.
The author tells us there are “roughly three New Yorks.” This means there are three
groups of people who all see New York in a totally di fferent way.
2(b) Responses provide a general explanation of how figurative language in the essay relates to
White’s opinion about the three New Yorks.
White uses a lot of similes and metaphors, and this helps him paint a detailed picture of
New York.
The author uses lots of exaggeration and metaphors to show just how much he dislikes
commuters.
1 = Minimal Understanding
Responses provide irrelevant details, personal opinions, or may simply repeat the question.
He compares New Yorkers to locusts.
White really likes New York.
0 = No Credit
20
THE MATHEMATICS TEST
The content areas assessed in the mathematics test are Number Properties and Operations;
Measurement/Geometry; Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability; and Algebra.
Content Areas
Number Properties and Operations focuses on student understanding of numbers (whole
numbers, fractions, decimals, integers) and their applications. Understanding numerical
relationships as expressed in ratios, proportions and percents is also included here.
Measurement/Geometry focuses on student ability to describe real -world objects using
numbers. Students are asked to identify attributes, select appropriate units, apply measurement
concepts and communicate measurement -related ideas to others. Questions require an ability to read
instruments using metric, customary or nonstandard units, with emphasis on precision and
accuracy. This area also focuses on student’s knowledge of geometric figures and relationships and
on their skills in working with this knowledge. It also focuses on the use of precise geometric
terms and understanding how to prove statements deductively.
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability focuses on data representation and analysis across
all disciplines and reflects the import ance and prevalence of these activities in our society.
Questions emphasize appropriate methods for gathering data, the visual exploration of data and the
development and evaluation of arguments based on data analysis.
Algebra focuses on topics that are based on content covered by two full years of high
school algebra. In addition to questions about linear functions, questions about nonlinear
functions such as quadratic, proportional ( k/x), exponential and trigonometric may be presented
in problem situations. Students should be able to analyze the defining properties of each function
type. This area also focuses on translating verbal descriptions of problem situations into symbolic
form. Expressions involving several variables, systems of linear equations and solving
inequalities are also a part of this content area.
Mathematical Complexity
In addition to assessing students’ understanding of mathematical content, the questions in
the mathematics test also assess at what level (high, moderate, or low) students can solve
mathematics problems.
High Complexity questions make heavy demands on students, who are expected to use
reasoning, planning, analysis and judgment. Students may be expected to justify mathematical
statements or develop a mathematical argument. These items might require students to generalize
from specific examples.
Moderate Complexity questions are those in which students might be asked to interpret a
representation or to bring multiple ideas together. In addition, they might be asked to show or
explain their work, but would not be expected to justify it.
21
Low Complexity questions expect students to recall or recognize concepts or procedures.
These questions typically specify what the student is to do, which is often to carry out a
procedure that can be performed mechanically.
Use of Calculators
Students should bring a calculator (either graphing or scientific), since calculators are
permitted for two of the three sections of the mathematics test. While the use of a graphing
calculator instead of a scientific calculator will not present an advantage on this test, the use of a
four-function calculator may place the student at a slight disadvantage. Students will not be
permitted to use calculators on the remaining section of the test.
22
MATHEMATICS SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1.
The dimensions of a rectangular box are 4 inches by 3 inches by 2 inches. A box manufacturer
must design a larger box that is similar in shape and will hold exactly 8 of the smaller boxes,
with no space left over. What will be the dimensions of the larger box?
A
B
C
D
2.
Ten friends had dinner together at a local restaurant. They decided to split the total cost equally.
The bill for the food, including tax, was $210. Which of the following amounts is closest to each
person’s share if they left a 20 percent tip?
A
B
C
D
3.
6 inches by 5 inches by 4 inches
8 inches by 6 inches by 4 inches
12 inches by 11 inches by 10 inches
16 inches by 12 inches by 8 inches
$22.00
$23.00
$24.00
$25.00
What is the radian measure of a 45 degree angle?
A
B
C
D
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4.
5.
Line contains the points (-2, -2) and (2, 4). Which of the following equations contain the
points?
A
B
C
D
Which of the following pieces of information would NOT be useful in deciding what type of car
is the most economical to drive?
A
B
C
D
6.
Median income of drivers
Range of insurance costs
Average miles per gallon
Cost of routine maintenance
If k can be replaced by any n umber, how many different values can the expression k + 6 have?
A
B
C
D
7.
None
One
Six
Infinitely many
A contractor is building 5 different model homes on 5 adjacent lots on one side of a street. If one
house is to be built on e ach lot, how many different arrangements of the 5 houses are possible?
A 120
B 60
C 25
D
5
24
8.
The graph above shows the number of gallons of water remaining in tank A as it is being
emptied. Tank B holds twice as much water as tank A. Approximately how long will it take to
empty tank B if it empties at half the rate tank A empties?
A
B
C
D
9.
3 minutes
6 minutes
12 minutes
24 minutes
The domain of f(x) = x2 – x is the set of integers [-3, 3]. Which of the following set of integers is
the range of f(x) ?
A
B
C
D
{0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12}
{0, 2, 6, 12}
{0, 12}
{1, 12}
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10.
The graphs of y = f(x) and y = g(x) for 0 ≤ x ≤ 10 are shown in the figure above. For how many
values of x is the product f(x)g(x) = 0 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 10 ?
A
B
C
D
Two
Five
Six
Seven
________________________________________________________________
Answers for multiple-choice questions
1. B
2. D
3. C
4. D
5. A
6. D
7. A
26
8. D
9. B
10. B
11.
The state road department has suggested two different routes for a new road between the towns
of Norris and Fielden.
The scenic route is represented in the figure above by two congruent semicircles. The direct
route is represented by a solid line segment. To the nearest tenth of a mile, how many miles
longer is the scenic route than the direct route?
Show all of your work and explain your reasoning.
Sample Correct Response:
The direct route is 20 miles
The scenic route is
The difference is 31.4 – 20 = 11.4
27
12.
A class plans to use a local bus company for a trip to a theme park. The cost per student is $50 if
exactly 40 students sign up for the trip. In order to increase its revenue, an employee of the bus
company thinks that it would be a good idea to reduce the cost per student by $1 for every
additional 10 students tha t sign up for the trip. For example, if 50 students sign up, the cost per
student is reduced to $49.
a. Complete the table below.
Number of Students
Cost per Student (in
dollars)
40
50
60
70
170
270
370
50
49
Bus Company’s
Revenue
(in dollars)
2,000
2,450
b. In order for the cost per student to be 50 – x dollars what is the minimum number of
students, in terms of x, that must sign up for the trip?
c. The bus company employee who thought of this idea believes it will promote business
because the company’s revenue will continue to increase as the number of students who sign
up for the trip increases, no matter how many students sign up. Do you agree with the claim?
Justify your answer mathematically.
28
Sample Correct Response:
a.
b.
(40 + 10x) students
c.
The total revenue can be represented by (40 + 10x)(50 – x), where the graph of
R(x) = (40 + 10x)(50 – x) is an upside down parabola. The parabola reaches a maximum
when x is 23. At that x-value, the cost per ticket will be 50 minus 23, or 27 dollars. Since
the price is reduced by 23 dollars per ticket (1 dollar for each 10 students), there must be
at least 230 students and at most 239 students, since for 240 students the price would
have to be reduced by 24 dollars per ticket. Therefore, in order to be most profitable, the
company should sign up the maximum number of students that it can at a cost of 23
dollars per ticket, which would be 239 students.
29
THE SCIENCE TEST
The content areas assessed in the science test are Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Earth
and Space Sciences.
Content Areas
Life Sciences. Major categories of topics in life sciences in this assessment include structures
and functions of living organisms (organization and development, matter and energy transformations,
interdependence) and changes in living systems (heredity and reproduction and evolution and
diversity).
Physical Sciences. This area focuses on properties of matter and changes in matter; forms of
energy and energy transfer and conservation and motion at the macroscopic level and forces affecting
motion.
Earth and Space Sciences. Questions in this area include topics that pertain to the earth's
history, materials, atmosphere and weather, oceans, the solar system, galaxies and the universe.
Questions on matters related to the environment are included.
Science Practices
In addition to assessing students’ understanding of the three content areas listed above, the
science test will also assess how well students can engage in the following four science practices.
Identify Science Principles. Students will be assessed on their ability to describe, measure, or
classify observations; state or recognize principles included in the content statements; connect
closely related content statements and relate different representations of science knowledge.
Using Science Principles. These include explaining observations of phenomena; predicting
observations of phenomena; suggesting examples of observations that illustrate a science principle
and proposing, analyzing and/or evaluating alternative explanations or predictions.
Using Scientific Inquiry. These include designing or critiquing aspects of scientific
investigations; conducting scientific investigations using appropriate tools and techniques;
identifying patterns in data and/or relate patterns in data to theoretical models and using empirical
evidence to validate or criticize conclusions about explanations and predictions.
Using Technological Design. These include proposing or critiquing solutions to problems,
given criteria and scientific constraints; identifying scientific trade-offs in design decisions and
choosing among alternative solutions and applying science principles or data to anticipate effects of
technological design decisions.
30
SCIENCE SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1.
Which pair of systems regulates and coordinates body functions?
A
B
C
D
2.
A newspaper article reported that a fossil was found that was 200,000 years old according to
generally accepted radioactive dating procedures. A letter to the editor of the newspaper disputed
the accuracy of the age determination because the fossil was found closer to the Earth's surface than
were previously discovered fossils of the same age. Which of the following would be an appropriate
argument against the letter writer's claim?
A
B
C
D
3.
Older rock layers commonly lie deeper underground than younger ones.
Older rock layers may be pushed closer to the surface by geologic processes.
The age of a rock layer can often help in determining the age of the fossils it contains.
Fossils form only under certain conditions.
Iodine-131 is a radioactive form of the element iodine that is absorbed heavily by certain organs of
the body such as the thyroid gland. Iodine -131 is used by medical technicians to map certain parts of
the body based on images produced by measuring the radioactive patterns. How is the isotope,
Iodine-131, different than other forms of iodine such as the more common form, Iodine -127?
A
B
C
D
4.
Excretory and digestive
Nervous and endocrine
Skeletal and muscular
Immune and respiratory
Iodine-131 has a greater number of protons.
Iodine-131 has a greater number of electrons.
Iodine-131 has a greater number of neutrons.
Iodine-131 has a smaller number of electrons.
A sample of a certain material is recovered from near a deep submarine volcanic vent. This sample
could be from a living thing if which of the following substances are determined to be part of it?
A
B
C
D
Amino acids
Carbonates
Phosphates
Sulfuric acids
31
5.
Two cities, R and W, are both located in the Earth’s northern hemisphere and at the same latitude
location. However, they are at different longitude locations. The graph below shows the average
monthly temperature, in degrees Celsius, over a typical year for each city.
Which statement best explains why there is a difference in temperature patterns over the year for
these two cities?
A
City R is located inland, while city W is located on an ocean coast.
B
City R is located in a northerly wind belt, while city W is located in a southerly wind belt.
C
City R is located on the leeward side of a mountain range, while city W is located on the
windward side of a mountain range.
D
City R receives less solar radiation in summer than city W, while city W receives less solar
radiation than city R in winter.
32
6.
Carbon-14 has a half-life of approximately 5,700 years. Analysis of the carbon in a piece of charred
wood found in an excavation revealed that the carbon has 25 percent of the amount of carbon-14
that is found in the carbon of living trees. Which of the following is most nearly the age of the
excavated wood?
A
B
C
D
7.
160 years
5,700 years
11,400 years
23,000 years
A student took a sample of water from a pond and examined it under a microscope. She identified
several species of protozoans, including two species of Paramecium that are known to eat the same
food. The student decided to examine the water sample every day for a week. She added food for the
Paramecia each day and counted the number of each species. Her findings are summarized in the
table below.
NUMBER OF PARAMECIA IN POND WATER SAMPLE
Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Species S
50
60
100
150
160
160
160
Which of the following can be correctly concluded from the data?
A
B
C
D
Species S is the food for species T.
Species T is more common than species S.
Species S is a more successful competitor than species T.
Species T is a more successful competitor than species S.
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Species T
50
80
90
60
50
30
20
8.
Formula
State at Room Temperature
Soluble in Water
Combustible in Air
Charcoal
C
Solid
No
Yes
Carbon Dioxide
CO2
Gas
Yes
No
Based on the information in the table above, which is a reasonable hypothesis regarding elements
and their compounds?
9.
A
An element retains its physical and chemical properties when it is combined into a compound.
B
When an element reacts to form a compound, its chemical properties are changed but its
physical properties are not.
C
When an element reacts to form a compound, its physical properties are changed but its
chemical properties are not.
D
Both the chemical and physical properties of a compound are different from the properties of
the elements of which it is composed.
A roller coaster car climbs to the top of a hill where it comes to rest. It takes 500 kilo-joules (kJ) of
energy to raise the roller coaster car and its occupants to the top of the hill. The car then goes down
to the bottom of the hill. Based on its speed at the bottom of the hill, the car has 350 kJ of kinetic
energy. Which of the following would explain why there is a difference between the potential
energy at the top of the hill and the kinetic energy at the bottom of the hill?
A
150 kJ of the potential energy is turned into momentum.
B
150 kJ of the potential energy is consumed in the form of friction.
C
Some of the potential energy could be recovered on the next trip down.
D
150 kJ of the potential energy could not be converted to kinetic energy rapidly enough and is
lost.
34
10.
Which of the following statements best explains why there is less than 1 percent of available energy
at the top of the energy pyramid shown in the figure above?
A
99% of the remaining energy has been consumed by other organisms.
B
There are fewer organisms at the top of the energy pyramid, therefore less energy is needed.
C
Organisms at the top of the energy pyramid require less energy than organisms at the bottom.
D
Most of it is lost as heat in the transfer from one tropic level to another.
____________________________________________________
Answers for multiple -choice questions
1. B
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. A
6. C
7. C
35
8. D
9. B
10. D
11.
When you exercise strenuously, your body produces excess heat. Use your knowledge of life science
to describe what your body does to help prevent your temperature from rising excessively, and
explain why the body’s response is effective .
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________ _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ _______
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________ _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________ _____________
________________________________________________________________________
Sample Correct Response:
A complete response should include a full discussion of how the body keeps its
temperature from rising through sweating or by blood vessels dilating and states
how these are effective.
36
12.
One characteristic that can be used to identify pure metals is density. If the density of a pure metal is
determined, the table below can be used to identify the metal.
Metal
Density
(gram/cm 3)
Gold
19.3
Lead
11.3
Silver
10.5
Copper
8.9
Tin
7.3
a.
Linda has a ring and wants to determine whether it is made of pure gold. Design a procedure
that Linda could use to determine the density of her ring. Explain the steps that should be
followed in the procedure, including the equipment that should be used and how this
equipment would be used to determine the ring’s density.
b.
Suppose that Rob has a ring with a density of 15.3 grams/cm 3. Assuming that the ring is a
mixture of some combination of the metals listed in the table above, what can be determined
about its composition from its calculated density? Explain your answer.
Sample Correct Response:
a.
The equipment should include a scale, graduated cylinder, and water.
Step A. Weigh ring using a scale, recording its mass (M),
OR "find the weight of the ring".
Step B. Put the ring in a graduated cylinder that has water in it and record the volume (V) of
water displaced. The volume of water displaced equals the volume of water in the cylinder
with the ring in it less the volume of the water before the ring was put in the cylinder.
Step C. Calculate the density (D), according to the formula D = M/V.
b.
The ring is not pure gold but must contain some gold. Response may re ason that the density of
the ring (15.3 g/cm 3) is less than the density of gold (19.3 g/cm 3), but more than the density of
any of the other metals. Response must also state that the identity of the other metals in the
ring cannot be determined from the given information.
37
APPENDIX
HSTW-RECOMMENDED CURRICULUM
English/language arts: Four credits in college-preparatory English/language arts courses that
emphasize reading, writing and presentation skills.
Mathematics: Four credits in college-preparatory mathematics including Algebra I, geometry,
Algebra II and a higher-level mathematics course such as trigonometry, statistics, pre-calculus,
calculus or Advanced Placement Mathematics.
Science: Three credits in science, with two in college -preparatory biology, chemistry,
anatomy/physiology or physics/applied physics.
Social Studies: Three credits in college-preparatory social studies.
Concentration: Four credits above the academic core in either a career/technical, an academic or a
blended academic and career/technical concentration or a concentration in mathematics/science or
the humanities.
Note: When reports refer to whether or not a student completed the full HSTW-recommended
curriculum, only the English/language arts, mathematics and science curriculums are being
considered.
HSTW CONCENTRATIONS
Humanities: Four college-preparatory courses each in English/language arts and social studies and
four courses in an area of the humanities, such as foreign language, fine arts or additional English
and social studies courses. At least one course in either English or social studies must be at the
Advanced Placement level.
Mathematics/Science: Four college-preparatory courses each in mathematics and science. At least
one course in either mathematics or science must be at the Advanced Placement level.
Career/Technical: Four or more credits in a career/technical field or major.
READINESS GOALS:
The readiness goals for the new HSTW Assessment will be set at the Standard Setting Workshop in
April, 2008. This Booklet will be updated after the readiness goals are set.
AWARD OF EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
To qualify for the HSTW Award of Educational Achievement , recipients must 1) complete the
HSTW -Recommended Curriculum in at least two of the three subject areas; 2) complete a
concentration in a career/technical field, mathematics/science or the humanities; and 3) meet all
three of the readiness goals on the HSTW Assessment.
38
PERFORMANCE LEVEL DESCRIPTORS
Note: The three performance levels for all three subject tests are basic, proficient and advanced.
Students who score below the basic level on any given subject test are still developing the
knowledge and skills required to meet the standard defined by the basic level for that test.
The final performance level descriptors are still being developed. This Booklet will be updated after
the descriptors are finalized.
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